He is Risen!

       This Easter held so much meaning for me. I have realized more deeply than ever that without the resurrection of Jesus, there would be no hope. Because the Lord defeated the grave, we are able to have the hope of a beautiful future in heaven! 
     This year as we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death it  has become very real. It would be very easy to get stuck in the finality of death. But thanks be to God that we can have hope for more than just a final ending. We have a Lord who conquered death once and for all!



Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them,  "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death  and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"                                               
                                                                                                                Matthew 20:17-19